CVE-2023-20273:

Command Injection Vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Web UI Allows Root Privilege Escalation

Score
A numerical rating that indicates how dangerous this vulnerability is.

7.2High

Published Date:Oct 25, 2023
CISA KEV Date:Oct 23, 2023
Industries Affected:20

Threat Predictions

EPSS Score:92.4
EPSS Percentile:100%

Exploitability

Score:1.2
Attack Vector:NETWORK
Attack Complexity:LOW
Privileges Required:HIGH
User Interaction:NONE
Scope:UNCHANGED

Impact

Score:5.9
Confidentiality Impact:HIGH
Integrity Impact:HIGH
Availability Impact:HIGH

Description Preview

Command Injection Vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Web UI Allows Root Privilege Escalation

Overview

This vulnerability (CVE-2023-20273) is classified as a CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) issue in Cisco IOS XE Software's web UI feature. The flaw allows authenticated remote attackers to bypass normal privilege restrictions and execute commands with root-level access on affected devices. The attack requires authentication to the web UI interface but can lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability exists because the web UI feature fails to properly validate user input before passing it to the underlying operating system, allowing command injection attacks.

Remediation

1. Update to the latest version of Cisco IOS XE Software that contains patches for this vulnerability.
2. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling the web UI feature until the update can be applied.
3. Implement network segmentation to restrict access to the web UI interface.
4. Monitor system logs for suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.
5. Follow Cisco's security best practices for device hardening.
6. Refer to the Cisco Security Advisory (cisco-sa-iosxe-webui-privesc-j22SaA4z) for specific patch information and additional mitigation strategies.